


take me tongue-tied

by texaswatermelon



Category: Glee
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-27
Updated: 2012-09-27
Packaged: 2017-11-15 03:25:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/522617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/texaswatermelon/pseuds/texaswatermelon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>Rachel Berry is going to be a star someday, and Avery was there to witness the beginning of her journey.</em> References to Rachel/Finn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	take me tongue-tied

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how to explain this Avery girl other than she's the random brunette Cheerio that Rachel locked eyes with and hugged in 3x21 during the Tongue Tied scene.

Avery sees Rachel Berry for the first time two weeks after the start of her freshman year.  Well, she technically _hears_ Rachel Berry before she sees her, but that actually makes it better.

She’s practically skipping down the hallway with Becca, a pretty blonde who has been her best friend since fifth grade.  The two of them just spent the past week going through absolute hell during Cheerio tryouts.  Avery can’t even count the number of suicides they were forced to run at the hands of Quinn Fabray, or the amount of hours she spent perfecting her splits in the middle of the night so that she could pass under the scrutiny of that bulldog Santana Lopez, or how many times she almost broke her neck practicing her backflips and double hand springs because while Brittany Pierce may seem like she’s got her head in the clouds, she’s very serious about her double hand springs.  And she doesn’t even want to think about that god-awful diet that Sue forced them to go on so that they could all make weight.

But it’s all over now, and Avery and Becca are among the few freshman girls to make the team, despite the fact that almost all of the girls in their class (and even one boy) tried out.  They’ve got fresh, plastic-wrapped, red uniforms perfectly tailored to fit their bodies in a way that would surely violate McKinley’s nonexistent dress code in their hands as they squeal about their success down the hallway.

That’s when she hears it.

They’re not even near the auditorium door yet, but Avery can hear the voice, as clearly as if it were coming through her ear buds, filtering into the hallway.  It’s a girl, and she’s singing some song that Avery has never heard before in her life, but the sound is… magical.  It makes her stop completely in her tracks.  Becca gets nearly ten feet away before she realizes that Avery has gone missing and turns around.

“What?” she asks, taking in the dumbfounded expression on Avery’s face with a frown.  “Are you going to be sick again?  I swear that diet that Coach has us on can’t actually be legal.”

Avery shakes her head and focuses on her friend.

“No!  No, I um just remembered that I forgot something in the locker room.”

“Do you want me to go with you?” Becca asks, though her face suggests that she would rather eat her own hand than chance facing Sue Sylvester and the Unholy Trinity again today.

“No, it’s okay.  You go ahead and I’ll catch up with you,” Avery assures her quickly.  The girl is still singing and she really doesn’t want to miss seeing whoever it is.

Becca looks relieved.  “Okay, see you,” and then she’s off.  Avery waits until she’s rounded the corner before jogging to the auditorium door and poking her head in.

It looks like an audition of some sort.  There’s a man with awful hair sitting in the seats with a pad of paper in front of him.  Avery recognizes him as Mr. Schuester, her Spanish teacher who really isn’t very good at Spanish, from what she can tell.  And on stage…

On stage is the most beautiful girl that Avery has ever seen.  She’s short, probably two inches shorter than Avery herself, with gorgeous shiny brown hair.  Her tan skin is literally glowing under the stage lights.  She’s wearing this white blouse and a horrible plaid skirt that Avery would actually never be caught dead in, with knee-high socks of all things, but God she actually somehow makes it work.

But it’s her voice that really does it.  It goes from soft and beautiful to strong and powerful in a fraction of a second, and the way she looks like she’s lived the words she’s singing makes Avery’s heart wrench unexpectedly.  She’s literally never seen this girl in her life, but she can say with full certainty that the stage is her actual _home_.  It’s where she belongs, and it’s where she should be for the rest of her life.

It’s only when the girl stops singing that Avery realizes she’s wandered almost a quarter of the way down the aisle.  Thankfully, no one has noticed her.  She begins backing away slowly as the girl looks at Mr. Schue for his reaction.

“Thank you, Rachel.  That was great.”

Avery has half a mind to toss one of her shoes at Will Schuester’s head because “great” is not an adequate enough word to describe that breathtaking performance.  However, thanks to him she now has a name to put to that perfect face.  Rachel does a little curtsey and exits stage left, and Avery’s phone vibrates with a text from Becca asking what the hell’s taking so long.

She turns around and leaves, whispering the name _Rachel_ under her breath.

xx

Three days later, Avery is forced to stand and watch as Noah Puckerman tosses a grape slushy directly into Rachel’s face.  It’s part of Quinn’s social hierarchy lesson to all of the new Cheerios.  Avery cringes as the frozen drink hits an unsuspecting, _innocent_ Rachel Berry in the face, but when Santana’s hard gaze falls on her, she forces a smirk.  It’s either that or be kicked off the Cheerios and subjected to a slushy facial herself, and being a cheerleader is all she’s ever wanted.  So she laughs and pretends that Rachel deserves it and Quinn looks satisfied by their reactions.

Rachel walks right past them on her way to the bathroom, face dripping and clothes stained, and looks right at Quinn with the most excruciating expression of hurt and humiliation that Avery has ever seen.  Quinn just smirks and starts walking, and the Cheerios are expected to follow.  Avery does, but she also turns her head to watch Rachel disappear into the bathroom.  When she turns back, Santana is staring right at her, and by the scary look of knowing in her eyes, she definitely saw the look of regret in Avery’s.

Avery is forced to run an extra three laps that day at practice, which doesn’t bother her.  It’s the nightmares she has for the next month about being forced to slushy Rachel Berry that really get to her.

xx

By the time the glee club’s sectionals competition rolls around, everything has changed.  Quinn Fabray is pregnant to Noah Puckerman, broken up with Finn Hudson, kicked off of the Cheerios, and totally disgraced.  Santana and Brittany are now co-captains of the Cheerios.  And all three girls are actually in the glee club that they spent so much time trying to sabotage.

Avery uses that as her excuse to drag Becca to the competition with her.

“We have to support our captains if we want to work our way up the pyramid,” she says, and Becca begrudgingly agrees, though she falls asleep halfway through the first performance.

New Directions goes last, and Avery stares intently at the stage, waiting with butterflies in her stomach to hear Rachel sing again.  When that incredible voice begins belting out of the back of the auditorium, Avery whips her head around so fast she thinks she might have pulled something in her neck.  She barely notices, though.  She’s far too busy trying to keep her heart beating as she watches Rachel perform.  By the end of the song, Avery has tears running down her face.

When New Directions is announced the winner, Avery leaps out of her seat and screams at the top of her lungs, startling Becca out of her sleep.  The girl stands up and claps, blinking tiredly and yawning.  She rolls her eyes when Avery beams at her.

“I don’t know why you’re so excited.  Coach wanted them to lose so she could get her budget restored.  Now she’s going to be pissed and she’s going to take it out on us,” Becca says.  Avery knows she’s right, but she can’t bring herself to care.  Rachel Berry is going to be a star someday, and Avery was there to witness the beginning of her journey.

When she gets home, she finds that Rachel has already uploaded a recording of the performance to her MySpace.  She downloads it and puts in on her iPod under a playlists entitled “Little Star,” along with every other recording Rachel has ever put up.

xx

It’s nearly the end of her sophomore year the first time Avery speaks to Rachel Berry.  Well, technically Rachel speaks to her first.

She’s standing at the mirror between fifth and sixth periods reapplying her eyeliner when Rachel suddenly comes striding in.  It startles Avery so much that she accidentally pokes herself in the eye with the pencil.  She yelps and jumps back, holding her hand over her eye, which is already tearing up.

“Oh my God!” Rachel yells, rushing over.  “Are you okay?  Should I call an ambulance?  Is your eye falling out?”

Avery actually laughs at that, albeit weakly, and reaches out to still Rachel’s hands, which are already in the process of dialing 9-1-1.

“I’m fine,” she says shakily.  “My eye is still there, it just hurts.”

Rachel looks like she doesn’t really believe her, but puts her cell phone away anyway.

“Can I see it?” she asks softly.

Avery pulls her hand away reluctantly and Rachel steps forward to inspect her eye.  She puts a small hand on Avery’s cheek, a look of intense concentration on her face.  She’s so close that Avery can smell her breath, minty and cool.  She blushes despite herself and dares herself not to breathe.  Rachel hums.

“It’s a little red, but it doesn’t look too bad.  I suggest you see an eye doctor just to be sure there’s no permanent damage.”  Avery nods dumbly and Rachel removes her hand and takes a step back.  “I can walk you to the nurse if you’d like.”

“I think I’m okay,” Avery says, and clears her throat when her voice cracks.  “Thanks, though.”

Rachel smiles a brilliant smile that makes her swoon.  “I’ve seen you before.  You come to all of our glee competitions.”

Avery feels her cheeks flare up again.  “Um, yeah.  I went to support Brittany and Santana at first and I guess I kind of liked it.”  It’s a stupid lie, but it makes Rachel’s face light up unexpectedly.

“Why don’t you try out for glee?  We’d love to have another member!”

“Oh, I can’t… I’m not a good singer,” Avery says quickly, shaking her head.

“I can give you lessons,” Rachel offers immediately.

Avery’s eyes go wide at the thought of spending time alone with Rachel.

“I’m really busy with finals and nationals coming up,” she says, which is actually true.  Rachel’s face falls, which is just awful.  She wants to bring that smile back.  “Maybe next year though?” she says, because she won’t be around over the summer due to cheer camp and having three months to prepare for this is probably necessary.

Instead of a smile, she gets intense excitement.

“Well, I will be very busy next year preparing for my NYADA audition and making sure that glee club wins nationals, but I’m sure I can make time to help a fellow music lover attempt to foster even half the talent that I have so—I’m sorry, I don’t even know your name,” Rachel says without even pausing for a breath.

“Avery,” she says, holding her hand out and willing it not to shake.

“It’s nice to meet you, Avery.  I’m Rachel Berry.”

“I know,” Avery says with a smile.  “You have a beautiful voice.”

Rachel beams again.  “Thank you!  Well, I should probably go now, but I’ll see you around I’m sure and if you still want those voice lessons next year, I’d be happy to help.”

“Okay,” Avery says quietly, and then Rachel is gone and she’s left with the heavy realization that she’s in love with a girl she’s only spoken to once.

xx

They do voice lessons during Avery’s junior year and she really is terrible, so by the third session it just devolves into them goofing around, belting out nonsense and not really trying.  By the eighth session, Avery realizes that they’re actually friends.  She can hardly believe it’s possible because when she first came to McKinley, Quinn Fabray would have had her hand for even thinking about being nice to Rachel.  But really, Quinn Fabray is hardly the same person she was two years ago and even Santana is sort of friends with Rachel, so Avery figures she has every right to be, too.  To be honest, she’d actually give the Cheerios up at this point if it meant she got to keep Rachel.

When they’re not “practicing” once a week, they text each other.  Sometimes they go shopping or get coffee at the Lima Bean.  Rachel talks about her impending NYADA application, or how the glee club is not nearly prepared enough for their upcoming competition, or Finn.  Avery hates when she talks about Finn because frankly he’s a talentless idiot and he doesn’t treat Rachel with anything remotely close to the respect she deserves.  But she just smiles and tries to be supportive because that’s what friends are supposed to do and Rachel clearly isn’t interested in girls anyway.

She notices the ring on Rachel’s finger immediately.

“Finn proposed,” Rachel tells her, though her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

Avery feels sick, but she congratulates Rachel and gives her a hug and saves her tears for her pillow later that night.

xx

Becca is the one who calls to tell her about Quinn’s accident.  They go to the hospital with flowers.  Rachel is already there, sitting by Quinn’s side.  Her eyes are red and her makeup is streaked.  She gets up when they enter the room and practically falls into Avery’s arms with a tired sob. 

She meets Becca’s gaze over Rachel’s shaking shoulder.  There is no explanation needed after that.  They’ve been best friends since they were eleven, and Becca needs only that one glance to know that Avery is in love.  She gives Avery a sympathetic smile and puts the flowers on the windowsill beside countless others.

xx

New Directions wins nationals for the first time in three years.  Avery gets the call from a screaming Rachel minutes after they get the verdict and it’s all she can do to keep herself from sobbing with happiness.

On Monday morning, the entire school turns out into the hallway to congratulate them.  There is confetti fucking _everywhere_ , but Avery can see Rachel’s billion-watt smile from miles away.  Their eyes meet across the hall, and Rachel’s expression looks a lot like a thank you.  Avery hugs her tightly, kisses her on the cheek, and whispers in her ear.

“I knew you could do it.”

Rachel’s laughter is the best thing she’s ever heard.

xx

Shortly after graduation, Rachel gets the call that she’s been accepted into NYADA.  Her parents throw a party, and Avery shows up with her yearbook in hand.

“You’re going to be a star someday, Rachel Berry, and I want to be able to prove to my children that we were friends,” she says, holding it out to a confused Rachel.

Rachel laughs, tears up a little, and signs it _To Avery: Thank you for supporting me when no one else did.  Love, Rachel Berry_ and draws a star underneath.

“We’re always going to be friends, you know,” she says as she hands the book back.  “You’re coming to visit me in New York.  No excuses.”

Avery just grins.

xx

They Skype at least twice a week, but it isn’t until Rachel calls her halfway through the semester crying because she and Finn have broken up for good that Avery actually visits.

New York is incredible, but Avery’s seen it before, so they spend the weekend in Rachel’s dorm pigging out and watching musicals.  Rachel sobs and sings her way through all of them.  When the end credits to _Funny Girl_ roll, Avery turns to look at her.

“Can I make a confession?” she asks, voice shaking, because this is probably the worst timing, but… Rachel nods and sniffles quietly.

“The first time I ever saw you, I knew you were a star.  You were auditioning for the glee club in your sophomore year.  You sang ‘On My Own’.  It was the most incredible thing I’d ever heard.  From that moment on, I knew I had to see you perform every chance I got.”

Rachel blinks at her, mouth slightly agape.  Avery takes a deep breath and continues.

“I didn’t go to all of those competitions for Brittany and Santana.  I went for you.  After I saw you perform ‘Don’t Rain On My Parade’ at sectionals, I went home and downloaded all of your songs off of MySpace and put them on my iPod.  They have hundreds of plays each.  I still listen to them.”

Rachel swallows loudly.  “Avery,” she whispers, but stops at that.

“I know I probably shouldn’t be telling you this right now, considering the fact that you just broke up with your fiancé, but... I love you.  I think I have since that very first time I heard you sing.  And I don’t expect anything from you by telling you this.  I just want you to know that I believe in you; I’ve always believed in you and I’ve always known that you deserve better than you ever gave yourself credit for.  Better than Lima, and better than Finn.  One day you’re going to take Broadway by storm and you’re going to find someone that loves you the way you deserve.”

Rachel is silent for a moment.  Then, slowly, that smile that Avery loves so much spreads across her face.

“I think I already have,” she says quietly, and then her lips are pressing softly against Avery’s.  “I’m not… ready for another relationship yet.  I may not be for a while, but… maybe you could wait for me?”

Avery’s smile is beatific.  “I’ve already waited three years.  I think I can wait a while longer.”

xx

She gets accepted into NYU’s business school.  As soon as she hops off the stage at graduation, Rachel is there, meeting her with a deep kiss that makes Avery’s stomach burn.

“I thought we were waiting?” she asks breathlessly when Rachel pulls away.

“I’m done waiting,” Rachel says with a huge smile.  “I’m ready to take Broadway by storm with my girlfriend.”

Avery grins.  “I’ve been waiting four years to hear you say that.”  Rachel grabs her by the neck and pulls her into another burning kiss.

“Not anymore.”


End file.
